P-Day and Lunch with Elders

We were slow getting started today because we were waiting to talk with David this morning.  He has received a new job offer, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts, as though that makes any difference.  Then the Elders who live in our complex invited us to join them and the Beneva Branch Elders for lunch.  We went to Blaze Pizza.  We like the pizza's but haven't been there for quite awhile.

While there, a man in an adjoining table spoke to me and said that he had always wanted to learn more about what we did.  We were able to make an appointment for the Beneva Elders to meet with him because he speaks Spanish, as well as English.

As we were all walking in, a couple from the Palmetto Ward introduced themselves to us.  Needless to say, we are noticeable.

Double Meetings

We attended two Church units today, the University Park Ward and the Beneva Branch.  Both meet in the Sarasota building and the meeting times don't overlap.

We started the day at 7 am for a ward council meeting as part of the ward conference for the University Park Ward.  Most of the meeting was training by Pres. Egan, the 1st counselor in the stake presidency, using videos on keeping the Sabbath holy.  Bishop Leedom and Pres. Egan spoke in sacrament meeting.

Renee attended the Relief Society class while I attended the branch council in the Beneva Branch.  It is the other Spanish-speaking unit in the stake.  I don't know if make much of a contribution other than just being there.  However, Renee was asked to play the piano in sacrament meeting and again in Relief Society meeting.  So I guess we did make a contribution.

Saints Unified Voices

We attended two planning meetings for the upcoming firesides with Gladys Knight and the Saints Unified Voices choir.  The purpose of the firesides is to provide missionary opportunities for members to invite their friends and less active members.  Two firesides will be in St. Petersburg and two in Brandon.  So there were planning meetings in both stake centers.

In between, we did two apartment inspections.  One of the apartments has only had missionaries in it for the past week.  It is one of the apartments that was opened to accommodate the arrival of the new missionaries at the last transfer.

Mission Leadership Council

We drove to Tampa for the monthly MLC.  This was different because we picked up a Sister Missionary who is receiving a medical release and returning home.  After taking her to the mission office, she met with President Cusick, and then we drove her to the airport.  Part of her wants to stay as a missionary.  The other part recognizes her medical challenges that prevent her from doing what she needs to do.

We then returned to the MLC.  We missed most of the meeting, but the topic of discussion for the day was exchanges for the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders with other missionaries.  As was pointed out, the purpose of exchanges is to bless, inspire, encourage, lift and learn from other missionaries.  They were reminded that everything needs be done in love.

Belated Valentine Dinner

Renee worked on the mission histories until mid-afternoon.  Then we went to The Cheesecake Factory for a belated Valentine's dinner.  I told Renee to pick a restaurant.  This was the first time that I thought we had sufficient time to go there.  They are usually busy with an indeterminate wait.  Today we had time to go in the late afternoon and didn't have to wait.

Following the dinner, we went to Sarasota where I had two special consideration interviews.  This couple will need to be married before they can be baptized, which they are planning to do.

Long Drive for an Interview

I had a special consideration interview in Hudson Ward today.  It was rainy and blustery, so I allowed extra time for the drive.  That was a good thing because the traffic was bad.  Driving across the Skyway Bridge was exciting as the wind was blowing hard.  All-in-all it took me over 2 hours to get there.  Fortunately the weather had improved when I returned.

It was a good interview with a young woman who like others is trying to change her life.  I hope that following their baptisms these new members receive the support they need from the ward members.

Renee decided not to go with me.  She doesn't really have a function at these interviews other than to accompany me.  Because this was so far away, she decided to stay in the apartment and continue to work on the mission histories.

District Meeting

We drove to Palm Harbor/Clearwater to participate in the St. Petersburg North District meeting.  The topic for this week was on tracting and street contacting.  They talked about the different approaches and then had everyone involved in role playing the different situations.  Some of the missionaries were better at one approach than the other.  The concern is that tracting is less efficient than street contacting -- fewer people contacted during the same amount of time.  However, some missionaries prefer tracting because it is less stressful for them.

We then did three apartment inspections in the area.  Fortunately, the apartments were in good condition.  Hopefully we now have a trend of the missionaries taking more effort to keep their apartments clean and uncluttered.